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Post by stardiamond on Dec 6, 2023 14:38:53 GMT -5
I bought some Guadalupe slabs at the HP lapidary auction. I could see the defects but couldn't judge the size so I overpaid. I bought some Linda Marie on Facebook and they were also smaller than expected the seller must have felt sorry for me and included a nice agate (bottom right).  |
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Post by stardiamond on Dec 7, 2023 15:22:24 GMT -5
I bought a small Montana heel slab from the HP lapidary sale. I saw the pattern on the cut side and liked it. With heels, I start grinding the rough end to see how the pattern looks. When I don't like it, I flatten with the wheels and an end lap. I put a shape on it and started grinding. I need to remove scratches, sand and polish. It reminded me of this:  |
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Post by stardiamond on Dec 9, 2023 15:09:33 GMT -5
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fencejumper
Cave Dweller 
Member since May 2021
Posts: 441
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Post by fencejumper on Dec 9, 2023 20:23:23 GMT -5
The Montana is a beauty.
I hate trying to judge rough tock to buy.
I prefer to buy slabs..
If you find a decent, non gouger, slab dealer
You have to stick with them.
Myself?
I prefer to dig duds
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Post by stardiamond on Dec 9, 2023 20:43:19 GMT -5
Slabs are usually too pricey. Rough is too much of a gamble. I had two guys on ebay that collected and sold lots of nodules. Both had fishing in their ids. Neither are active now and what I see on ebay now is not good. This cab was from the HP auction. It was a single cab heel but I liked the pattern and it was only $8.
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Post by jasoninsd on Dec 9, 2023 23:07:00 GMT -5
Stephen, to me, that Montana steals the show in this group!  |
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Dec 10, 2023 13:00:36 GMT -5
I bought some rough from HP on Black Friday sale. I can't get Giggle Photos to work today (again uggh) but for what I paid I say- meh. The bloodstone was so-so as far as slabbing went, at least it seems pretty solid. The Argentina banded moss agate is a little better but the one piece I cut has a bad fracture across the banding, and the moss is nothing too stellar. I still have more agate to cut, but I'm working some other stuff right now, so the agate will wait. I didn't get an amazing deal, but think it was a fair price for the quality. If I had paid full price, I would have been very disappointed.
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Post by stardiamond on Dec 10, 2023 13:20:27 GMT -5
I like to be methodical when I buy. I have even taken screen shots of slabs and reduced them to actual to get a better idea of yield. My biggest buying mistakes there were not having a good idea of size on some small Guadalupe poppy jasper slabs. They set the price and it's bang, bang. No time to ask for size. I am very knowledgeable about price and quality for the material I am familiar with and I see bidders pay too much for lesser quality.
Overall, there quality for slabs is much better than facebook, or ebay. Rough is always a gamble no matter who you buy from and like many here, I prefer to buy slabs.
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Post by stardiamond on Dec 11, 2023 16:55:03 GMT -5
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dshanpnw
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2020
Posts: 1,158
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Post by dshanpnw on Dec 12, 2023 20:15:42 GMT -5
I love the patterns of the Montana, and the last photo, flame agate? is wonderful.
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Post by stardiamond on Dec 12, 2023 21:08:17 GMT -5
I love the patterns of the Montana, and the last photo, flame agate? is wonderful. Thanks. It was sold as flame but I don't think it is Mexican flame. Most likely from Southern California. I buy slabs by their patterns and I only made one cab from the area I liked. |
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Post by victor1941 on Dec 18, 2023 22:18:19 GMT -5
The montana is fantastic and the red flame is also special.
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